Capernaum, a person was brought before him possessed by an evil spirit. The demon within the patient cried out with a loud voice, "Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God." Jesus put the unclean spirit to silence, and cast him out of the sufferer by his powerful word, to the admiration of the people, who spread his fame throughout all that region. From the synagogue Jesus proceeded to Peter's house and healed his mother who was sick of a fever. In the mean time the news of the cure of the dæmoniac spread abroad, so that before sunset all that were afflicted with diseases in the neighbouring country were set before him, and Jesus, with his usual compassion, sent every one of them home completely cured.

From Capernaum he proceeded to the shores of the lake of Gennesareth, called also the sea of Tiberias, where he was followed by such vast crowds that he went into a ship belonging to Simon Peter, and thence preached to the people. When he had done speaking, he commanded Peter to cast his net for a draught; and was answered that, though they had toiled fruitlessly all night, yet at his command

they would try afresh; they did so, and took so large a quantity of fish that the boat was ready to sink. Peter was so surprised that he fell at the feet of Jesus and besought him to depart from such a sinner as he was, but our Lord replied that he would make Peter a fisher of men, that is an apostle to convert men to the truth.

Jesus

Among the numerous miracles wrought by Jesus during his abode in Galilee, the cure of a man afflicted with palsy at Capernaum is particularly remarkable. The house in which Jesus was became so thronged that the persons who brought the sick man could not obtain an entrance, they therefore ascended to the top of the house and removed a portion of the covering, which in Eastern countries frequently consists of canvas or some other cloth, and lowered the paralytic and his bed into the midst of the assembly. seeing their faith, said unto the sick man, "Thy sins are forgiven thee," which was in other words declaring that he was cured, for the Jews believed that such infirmities were the punishment of sins committed either by the patient or his parents. But the scribes and Pharisees murmured at this assumption, and Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "What reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But that

ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thine house." The paralytic man immediately rose, took up his bed, and returned to his own house, so that his miraculous cure was a proof that our Lord possessed the divine power of granting pardon for sin.

After leaving Capernaum Jesus went towards the sea-side, and on his way saw a publican or taxgatherer named Matthew sitting at the place where taxes were usually paid, whom he invited to accompany him and become his disciple. Matthew immediately obeyed; he continued to the last a faithful follower of Christ; and was the first who prepared a succinct history of the Gospel. To express his joy and gratitude for this gracious call, Matthew gave a sumptuous feast at his own house, to which many of his own profession were invited. The Jews greatly disliked the publicans, not merely because the payment of taxes was looked upon as a badge of servitude, but also because many of the profession were infamous for their rapacity and extortions. They began therefore to reproach Jesus for joining in such company, but he rebuked them, saying, "They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." That is, the glad tidings of salvation are addressed to those who feel their want of a Saviour, not to persons who place their trust in themselves, and are not conscious of their dangerous condition.

CHAPTER VI.

THE SECOND YEAR OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY,

CONTINUED.

AFTER having performed several great miracles in Galilee, Jesus departed for Jerusalem when the time approached for celebrating the Passover. There was in the holy city a famous pool or reservoir, adorned with five porches or piazzas, called in the Hebrew tongue Beth-chesdah, or Beth-esda, that is, "the house of mercy." The waters of this pool were at some particular seasons miraculously stirred, and the first person who then went into it was cured of any disease with which he might happen to be afflicted. Among the crowds of persons waiting to take advantage of this event, Jesus beheld a man who had suffered from

an incurable palsy thirty-eight years, but whose infirmities had prevented him from taking advantage of the healing water. Jesus, moved with compassion, restored him by his powerful word, and commanded him to take up his bed and return home. This signal miracle was wrought on the Sabbath day, a circumstance which gave great offence to the superstitious Pharisees, who accused our Lord of being a Sabbath-breaker. Jesus replied by shewing that works of mercy, so far from being a violation of the Sabbath, were the proper business of that holy day, for, though God rested on the seventh day from the work of creation, he did not withdraw his care from the preservation of the world, adding, "As my Father worketh hitherto, so do I work." The Jews, instead of yielding to such plain reasoning, took fresh offence at his calling God his father, and Jesus tried in vain to convince them by referring to the miracles he wrought, the prophecies he fulfilled, the authority of Moses, who declared that God would send a second and mightier teacher to his chosen people, the testimony of John the Baptist, and finally the declaration of God himself, that this was his beloved Son.

In order to convince the Jews of their error our Lord performed several signal miracles afterwards on